Taking the decision to have Dad at home for his last days was a relatively easy one and one I wouldn't change. It was what we all wanted, Dad especially. However, it of course came with much apprehension and worry and although it was precious time and an absolute honour to be able to fulfill his wish of being at home, it was heartbreakingly difficult. We gave our absolute all day in, day out but we honestly couldn't have done it without the help, support and guidance of others.

The support given to us by the NLH's community palliative care team during Dad's time at home and specifically in his final days is something we will be forever grateful for. Our assessment visits at the beginning were met with the most amount of love, care, kindness. Having nursing staff at the end of the phone at all hours meant all questions or concerns could be answered and alleviated. It meant we could care for Dad more effectively to ensure he was comfortable and pain free. They came out to us on the occasions we needed them most and they truly cared for us as much as they did Dad.

On June 2nd, myself & Rhys are going to be taking on the Big Fun Walk in memory of Dad. We will be walking 8.5 miles to help spread awareness and raise funds but most importantly for us, this is my family's way of saying thank you and of giving back. We also want to help give others the chance to also benefit from the best quality palliative and end of life care - both at home or within the hospice.

We would be so grateful for donations of any amount in honour of Dad and to give thanks on his behalf too. He was a man of few words throughout all this as it was incredibly tough on him mentally, but we knew he was just as grateful for them as we were.

This annual event is so important because all the services the hospice offers are provided completely free. With only 30% of funding coming from the NHS, they rely on donations from the community to raise over £15million each year.

Thank you 💜